I’ve become friendly with a colleague whose training as a
nurse lead to some of the most interesting conversations I’ve ever had in my
life.

Like did you know, that if you drink a ton of apple juice
before you go to bed, the natural chemical compounds will cause you to have
very vivid, very awesome dreams?

Or, if you’re deathly allergic to Brazil nuts you shouldn’t
have, ahem, relations with someone
who had just eaten Brazil nuts because the result
of said relations can trigger
anaphylaxis.

And, there is a roller coaster at Disney World (Big Thunder)
that will help you pass a kidney stone. There is a published, peer-reviewed
paper that discusses the correlation between where you sit on the ride and the size
of the kidney stone, and the ride will
help you pass it.

My children’s pediatricians have mentioned how detailed I
get when I bring them in for sick visits.

“Have you considered getting a stethoscope?” They’ve asked.
“I know just by what you’re telling me that your child has pneumonia.”

Tip – press your ear against your child’s chest as he’s
breathing and if it sounds like crinkling bubble wrap, it’s probably pneumonia.
Even with this, I strongly encourage you to take your child to the doctor for a
proper diagnosis, prescription and treatment plan.

I can tell if my kids have a fever by pressing my face to
theirs.

And while I never thought my experiences of motherhood would
include drawing and administering injections, it’s a part of it just the same.

Researching medical history has provided me with small
comforts. I’m so glad Madelyn was diagnosed with such a serious illness when
she was, rather than 100 years ago considering insulin wasn’t isolated for
human use until 1921. Back then, a diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes was a death
sentence. I am fully aware of how odd it is to write something like that, especially a mother in regard to her child, but it's an admission I cannot deny. Today, it’s simply something Madelyn sees as a “blip” she must
overcome before running off to play soccer.

I’m so glad insulin pumps today are the size of a credit
card, rather than a full backpack-sized behemoth of the 1960s.

It’s crazy to consider the chronology, but at once, a
journey I’m grateful happened. Because it contributed to Madelyn’s successful
management, and she enjoys a full childhood because of it.